It is a summer evening in Copenhagen and the light is still holding. People are sitting on the edge of the harbour with a beer bought from a kiosk, cyclists are threading home along the lakes, and the bars around Sankt Hans Torv are beginning to fill. Later, the clubs will open and the night will stretch well past the point where most cities have gone quiet.
Copenhagen's nightlife is relaxed and informal on the surface, with a strong bar culture and a club scene that starts late and runs until morning. It suits visitors who are happy to begin with a drink in a park or at a bar and let the evening develop, rather than those who want everything in one place. Drinking in public is legal and popular, which gives the early part of the night a distinctly outdoor character in good weather.
Where to go out in Copenhagen
1. Nyhavn
The canal frontage at Nyhavn is the first place many visitors head for, and it is undeniably attractive. It is also the most expensive and most tourist-oriented drinking area in the centre, so treat it as a place to look at rather than to settle into for the evening.
A practical alternative in good weather is to buy a beer from a kiosk and sit by the water instead, which is what many locals do.
2. The side streets off Strøget
The pedestrian street itself is a shopping artery, but the many side streets running north and south of it are a good starting point for a night out. This is central, walkable and easy to combine with an evening meal.
It suits a first night in the city, when you want options close together without committing to a single venue.
3. Vesterbro
West of the central station, the streets around Vesterbrogade and Istedgade form one of the main going-out areas, with a mix of bars along the way. It is a neighbourhood rather than a single strip, so you can move between places on foot.
It suits anyone who wants a local bar atmosphere before deciding whether to continue to a club.
4. The meatpacking district
The meatpacking district, in the same part of the city as Vesterbro, is named in the sources as another of the good areas for drinking. It is a distinct zone within the wider neighbourhood rather than a street of its own.
It suits a later, more deliberate night out, and pairs naturally with the Vesterbro bars nearby.
5. Nørrebro
On Nørrebro, the cluster of bars and clubs around Sankt Hans Torv and Blågårds Plads, just beyond the lakes, is another hotspot. This is a dense concentration of places within a short walk of each other.
It suits a night that moves between several venues, and it is one of the areas where the club scene is most easily combined with bar-hopping.
6. Clubs
Copenhagen's club scene is vibrant, but most clubs open only from Thursday to Saturday. Locals typically start with a party at home or at a favourite bar and rarely arrive at a club before midnight; clubs generally close around 05:00.
Expect a cover charge at most clubs, and an additional charge for the cloakroom. Most clubs set a minimum age of 20 or 21, though they are not required to by law. Drinks cost a little more than in bars.
7. Gay and lesbian venues
For its size, Copenhagen has a rather large gay scene, with a good handful of bars and dance clubs in the centre of the city within walking distance of each other.
It suits a night that can be planned as a walkable circuit rather than a series of taxi rides.
How a night out unfolds
The sources describe a pattern rather than a timetable. Locals tend to have a party at home with friends or go to a favourite bar first, so clubs rarely get going until after midnight and close around 05:00. Most clubs are open only from Thursday to Saturday. Beer is widely available from supermarkets and kiosks as well as from bars, and drinking in public is legal and popular, so the early part of the evening often happens outdoors when the weather allows. Note that drinking on public transport is not permitted, though it is tolerated if you are not behaving as though drunk.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- International Workers Day — 1 May, with the main festivities in Fælledparken on Østerbro.
- CPH Distortion — the first week of June, with parties outdoors on streets and squares as well as in clubs.
- Copenhagen Jazzfestival — early July, with concerts in parks, cafes, clubs and theatres.
- Zulu Sommerbio — July and August, open-air films in various parks and squares, free to watch.
- Grøn Koncert — late July, a one-day music festival in Valby Parken.
- Stella Polaris — the first weekend in August, a free chill-out event in one of the city parks, with an afterparty at a major club.
- RAW — early August, described as Scandinavia's largest clubbing event.
- Copenhagen Fashion Week — held in February and August.
- Strøm — August, an electronic music festival using venues and unusual locations across the city.
- Copenhagen Pride — August, with a parade and a week of community events and parties, and City Hall Square hosting live acts, concerts and debates.
- Crafts Fair — August, Thursday to Saturday, outdoors at Frue Plads.
- Night of Culture (Kulturnatten) — mid-October, on the last Friday before the school holiday in week 42, with cultural attractions open from 18:00 to midnight on a purchased badge.
- MIX Copenhagen — held in week 43, an LGBT film festival with screenings and a closing champagne party.
Frequently asked questions
What time do clubs in Copenhagen get busy?
Most locals start at home or in a bar, so clubs rarely fill before midnight. They generally close around 05:00, and most are open only from Thursday to Saturday.
Can you drink alcohol in public in Copenhagen?
Yes. Drinking beer in public is legal and popular, and buying from a supermarket or kiosk and sitting in a park or by the water is a common local habit. It is not permitted on public transport, though it is accepted if you are not showing drunk behaviour.
Is there a minimum age for clubs?
Most clubs maintain a minimum age of 20 or 21, although they are not required to do this by law.
Where can you go out if you want to avoid the most touristy area?
Nyhavn is the most tourist-oriented and most expensive option. The side streets north and south of Strøget, Vesterbro along Vesterbrogade and Istedgade, the meatpacking district, and the cluster around Sankt Hans Torv and Blågårds Plads on Nørrebro are all named as alternatives.
Decide where you want to start, check what is on while you are in town, and let the evening take its own pace.